Petersfield eye BIGGER PICTURE after First Chance dominance
PETERSFIELD HIGH School’s World Under-18 400m champion Antonio Watson picked up where he left off a few months ago, winning the Class Two 800m at the County of Cornwall Athletic Association First Chance Meet on Saturday, a day owned by his team at the Rusea’s High School field in Hanover.
The young quarter-mile sensation was outstanding, stopping the clock at 2:03.28, ahead of Joen Lindo of Frome Technical High in 2:08.07, and Kenroy Morris of Maggotty High School.
“I feel great, knowing I’m not there as yet but working to get there,” said Watson. “This is a plus for me after being off the track for a while, so coming back and running such a time means a lot.”
When asked about expectations of Watson for the Carifta Games in Nassau, Bahamas, from March 30 to April 2, Petersfield coach Machell Woolery told The
Gleaner his eyes are set on the bigger picture later down in the year, not just for Watson, but his other outstanding athletes.
“This will be a tough Carifta Games,” he said. “Now he (Watson) is under 20 ... . The ultimate objective is the World Junior Championships in July. It will always be a challenge, so let’s see when Carifta time comes around, but we are looking at the bigger picture for them (outstanding athletes), World Youth, World Juniors and Youth Olympics.”
Petersfield were dominant in the boys’ one-lap event with Quewayne Brown (56.39 seconds) taking Class Three ahead of teammate Eathon Henry (57.39), and Romario Taylor (50.96), topping Class One. Raheim Scott of Rusea’s prevented a Petersfield clean sweep, taking the Class Two in 53.15, ahead of the Petersfield duo of Shamar Pearce (53.64) and Jamar Pearce (54.76).
The Westmoreland based school was also most dominant in the shot put, where they placed top four in the boys’ Class One. Cortney Lawrence topped with 15.46m, followed by Carifta Games record holder Daniel Cope (14.72m), Devar Clayton (14.45m) and Christopher Brown (13.89m). Class Two was won by Avaun Johnson (13.20m), also of Petersfield.
On the girls’ side Mannings’s School, Mount Alvernia High, Rusea’s High and Petersfield were outstanding. Petersfield’s Carifta Games Under-18 1,500m champion Shaquena Foote, who topped the 3,000m with an impressive 11:20.87, and Rusea’s Amoy Mairs, who aced (12.27 seconds) the 100m Class One girls were the top performers on the day.